Founder of Sidney

Charles Starrett was born in Ireland on December 23, 1774. Exactly when he came to the U.S. is unknown. He is believed to have lived in Pennsylvania and Virginia before coming to Ohio. The first record of him here is in Champaign County where, on April 19, 1810, he married Nancy B. Reed. Upon the death of his father, Charles and other siblings were each bequeathed 100 pounds. Perhaps these funds allowed him to successfully purchase the large tract of land that was issued to him on October 5, 1812, via a land patent, (S36, T8, R6) in Miami County, by President James Madison. Part of this land, because of its excellent location near the center of the county, would become what is now known as Sidney.

Mr. Starrett, whose original homestead was located near Starrett’s Run, along South Walnut Avenue (in the vicinity of what was Erb Lumber, 231 S. Walnut), also requested that one acre be reserved for a public square (court house), two, one-half acres for religious societies, two acres for cemeteries and one acre for a school house be included in the plat. There were other donations to the sum of $690, 1 barrel of whiskey and 1 large ox (dollar value not given).

Charles and Nancy were the parents of three children, Elizabeth, James and Robert. Elizabeth died unmarried at the age of 24, James’ only child did not survive, and Robert died unmarried at the age of 20. Starrett died at the age of 54 in Sidney on February 28, 1829. Thus, the Starretts have no descendants. Mr. Starrett’s house was demolished around 1924.

'Downtown' segment written in October, 1998 by Sherrie Casad-Lodge 

[ Back to Downtown Index ]